Delita Heiral

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'Tis your birth and faith that wrong you... not I.

Delita Heiral

Delita Heiral, also known as Delita Hyral, is a character from Final Fantasy Tactics. Easily manipulated, but ultimately an idealistically honorable man who thinks of himself as a people's hero, Delita holds to the unfortunate maxim that the ends justify the means. After his sister Tietra Heiral died in the middle of a manipulative plot, he vowed never to fall victim to manipulation again. In a self-driven crusade against the nobility, Delita decided to use the art of manipulation himself in order to ascend to the throne. He kidnaps the Princess Ovelia and forms alliances with Duke Goltanna and the Church of Glabados, all the while intent on double-crossing them all. He intends on letting Ramza and his friends live so that they can destroy the Church's new Zodiac Braves. Delita ends up marrying the princess and becomes king, and goes down in written history as the hero of the Zodiac Brave Story. Arazlam Durai, a historian researching these events many years later, informs the player that history has made Delita the only hero of the Lion War. Delita's story is widely known through Ivalice, of a commoner who became a king and brought peace to a chaotic kingdom. While Ramza, his friend, is of little mention in history, and is branded a heretic. Arazlam then asks the player if this is the "truth," and if the player will help Arazlam find the truth.

Story

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With the Order of the Northern Sky

Delita was born to poor farmers on the Beoulve land. Barbaneth adopted him and his sister Tietra into House Beoulve after their parents' death from the Black Death. Delita and Tietra became fast friends with Ramza and Alma Beoulve. While growing up, Delita attended the Gariland Royal Military Academy with Ramza. He was with Ramza when they rescued Argath Thadalfus from the Corpse Brigade. Argath revealed that Marquis Elmdore had been kidnapped. When Ramza defied Dycedarg's orders and set out to rescue Elmdore, Delita went with him. They succeeded and were then assigned to attack Milleuda Folles at the Brigands' Den. During the battle, the reasons for the Corpse Brigade's actions became apparent, as this was a class struggle. This began to create a rift between Delita and the arrogant upper-class Argath. Following Milleuda's first defeat, Delita and Ramza returned to Eagrose, only to learn that Delita's sister had been taken captive by the Corpse Brigade.

Delita of the Blackram Knights.

Zalbaag Beoulve was soon to launch a frontal assault on the Brigade's positions at Ziekden Fortress. Delita realized this was likely to result in Tietra's death. He tried to convince Ramza to attempt to rescue Tietra by attacking from the Lenalian Plateau. When an unsympathetic Argath insulted Delita, Ramza stood up for his friend, and kicked Argath out of his unit. Argath subsequently joined Zalbaag's force in their attack on Ziekden. Ramza and Delita then set out to rescue Tietra. At Mandalia Plains they shared what was to be their last time together under those circumstances, for the attempt to rescue Tietra met with disaster. First, Ramza and Delita encountered Milleuda again at the Lenalian Plateau. The misunderstanding between Ramza and Milleuda resulted in the latter's death, which in turn infuriated her brother Wiegraf, leader of the Corpse Brigade. Although Delita and Ramza were close to rescue Tietra at the windmill hut, Wiegraf had her transferred to Zieken Fortress.

Delita and Ramza arrived just in time to find a standoff between Gragoroth, holding Tietra captive, and the Order of the Northern Sky. Argath opened fire, mortally wounding both Tietra and Gragoroth Levigne. Zalbaag then left to pursue Wiegraf, and Delita's rage boiled over against Argath. He attacked, and Ramza joined him in battle against Argath. Argath was defeated and killed, but Gragoroth set off an explosion which destroyed the fort. Delita, standing next to Tietra's ruined body, would have perished, yet Tietra used the last of her strength to shield Delita from the explosion.

The Kidnapping of Ovelia

Following the Zieken Fortress incident, Delita set himself up as a Order of the Southern Sky knight, while also answering to the Church of Glabados. Ultimately, though, he was loyal only to himself and planned to double-cross both. He approached Dycedarg Beoulve and offered his assistance in part of a scheme for the Northern Sky to get rid of Princess Ovelia. Several Northern Sky knights, wearing Southern Sky uniforms, attacked Orbonne Monastery, where Ovelia was staying. While Ramza, Agrias and Gaffgarion managed to drive off the fake Southern Sky knights, it was but a diversion. Delita slipped into Orbonne Monastery from the back, and kidnapped Ovelia, escaping on his Chocobo before Agrias could react.

Ramza, recognizing Delita, set out in pursuit of Delita. At Zeirchele Falls, Delita ran into trouble, allowing Ramza's forces to catch him. At that moment, however, Gaffgarion turned on Ramza and revealed his true assignment: kill Ovelia so her claim to the throne cannot be used by Goltanna. Ramza drove off Gaffgarion, and helped Delita get rid of his attackers. Delita then relinquished control of Ovelia to Ramza. When Ovelia fell into the hands of Cardinal Alphonse Delacroix, Delita arrived, and after Folmarv had interrogated her, he took the Princess to Goltanna. On the way, they were attacked by three Northern Sky soldiers, but Delita was able to drive them off.

Betraying the Southern Sky

Delita killing the false Orlandeau

Delita then began his betrayal of the Southern Sky and Goltanna. After ridding Goltanna of a treasonous advisor, Chancellor Glevanne, Delita succeeded Baron Grimms as commander of the Blackram Knights after the Baron was killed in a battle against the Order of the Northern Sky in Zeltennia. Delita also managed to create friction between Goltanna and Cidolfus Orlandeau. He was then given the task of assassinating Goltanna by the Church of Glabados, and was offered the aid of Valmafra Lenande, although Valmafra was in fact ordered to keep an eye on Delita. He later met Ramza at the church near Zeltennia, where he revealed more of the Church of Glabados plan to Ramza. However, he had been overheard by the Heresy Examiner Zalmour Lucianada, who had come to arrest Ramza. Delita knew that since Zalmour was aware of his intentions to double-cross the church, he had no choice but to kill Zalmour to silence him Together with Ramza, he did so, and then returned to deal with Goltanna.

At the Battle of Fort Besselat, Delita did indeed assassinate Goltanna. He then implicated Orlandeau in the murder, but executed a decoy to allow the real Orlandeau to escape and assist Ramza in his quest to destroy the Lucavi. Delita then confronted Valmafra, whom he knew to be a spy. Valmafra was unable to bring herself to take action against Delita.

Aftermath

Following the destruction of Ultima, Delita married Princess Ovelia and became the King of Ivalice. However, Ovelia became disturbed by the fact she was nothing more than pawn to Delita like everyone else. On the day of her birthday Delita brought her flowers, Ovelia betrayed her husband, stabbing him with a dagger. Delita responded by killing Ovelia, and then collapsing while wondering about Ramza's own happiness. In the official record, Delita was made the hero, while Ramza was never mentioned. Orran Durai, who was publishing an account of the truth, was executed by the church as a heretic, but his descendant Arazlam Durai would ultimately discover his Durai Papers and learn the truth.

Spoilers end here.

References

In Vagrant Story, Delita is referred to as "Haeralis the Brave" in the description of an accessory found in Lea Monde. Although the reference is offhand and very short, the choice of the adjective "Brave" may indicate that King Delita is still considered a hero in Vagrant Story's region and era.

Trivia

• Delita is one of the two characters in the game which special job class change throughout the story (the other one being Argath Thadalfus, but just in the War of the Lions remake), starting as a improved Squire to a Holy Knight.

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